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I was in the service a long time, and afterwards, I contracted and still traveled a lot.
Paperback books were a stable like breakfast cereal. I still love them especially if I can get them cheap at a dollar store or 2nd hand ON line.
In the service, we would trade them around and it was the rare book when it was discarded that wasn't in rather pitiful shape from being read and reread and bent and being crammed into pockets so much.
Sometimes we would actually use the worse ones for kindling to start a fire and in emergencies for toilet paper.
Hardbound didn't have the utility. In fact I have seen hardbound books have the covers torn off and the back and spine taped up to make it easier to carry.
Sometimes we would trade blind 200 paperbacks to another group for the same. There was always something different in the bag.
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